First comes spring, then comes summer, and flies!

Spring is here and along with it comes warmer weather and eventually the summer season.  When warm weather sets in, we also move into the fly season on farm.  Are you ready for the fly season?  Fly season control normally takes a multifaceted approach.  First, we need to keep the area around livestock clean and free of moisture, manure and rotting or spoiled feed.  Second, we need to keep the landscape around barns well mowed to eliminate weeds and tall grass from the area as this can be a good habitat for certain flies.  And Third, we need to feed a larvicide, like ClariFly® in our feeds to stop the life cycle of the fly to minimize reproductive multiplication.

ClariFly® larvicide will help control the following fly species:

House Fly- 6-7 mm long and grayish in color.  Females lay eggs in batches of up to 150 at a time in manure, wet organic matter, spilled feed and compost piles.  They tend to transfer disease as they fly from food source to food source within barns.

Stable Fly- Just a bit smaller than the house fly, the Stable fly is distinctly different because of the piercing mouth part that penetrates skin to obtain blood and inflicting painful bites on cattle legs.  The life cycle of the Stable Fly is 3-4 weeks and they also lay their eggs in manure, and any other wet organic matter that is around the premises.  5 or more Stable flies per front leg of cattle starts to negatively impact cattle performance and your bottom line. 

Horn Fly- Small biting flies about half the size of the House and Stable fly.  They have piercing mouth parts similar to the Stable Fly and will take up to 40 blood meals per day on cattle.  They typically congregate on the backs of their hosts and only leave to lay eggs in fresh cow pies.

Face Fly- Similar in size to the House Fly, the Face Fly is considered more of a pastured cattle pest.  They lay eggs only in fresh, undisturbed cow pies.  Adult Face Flies will feed on secretions around the mouth, eyes, and nose of cattle on pasture.

ClariFly® larvacide  should be added to feeds at least 30 days prior to the start of the fly season.  In dairy calves, adding ClariFly® to both the milk replacer and calf starter is recommended for more effective control.  Summer is the warm season, but doesn’t need to be the fly season!